8400w Grid Tie System - Kit or piece it together?

[ImInPhxAZ]

Clearly not in Arizona either. $30 permit? Flabbergasted.

[littleharbor]

Lol... nope. A small town in southern IN... population just over 6k. Love it here... not many other places you can pick up 10 acres of wooded land with a 2200 sq. ft. house and 24x40 pole barn for under 70k. House needed a lot of work.. took a year on the remodel but well worth the effort. Hell, they didn't even require inspection when we installed our wood stove. Of coarse, I contacted the insurance company first.. then the inspector. Installed ourselves with everything surpassing code by a fair bit... no inspection or permits required by county or insurance which surprised me.

That's the difficult part in all of this... for an average joe to figure out what code applies to what situation and how to pass it. I'm always willing to learn and to take the time to do things right.

Sounds like a DIY'ers paradise. Good to hear you are taking the time to figure out how to do it right.

I imagine your sales tax in that area is much less too. This 10.25% sales tax rate is really grating on me here. I paid $1.00 in sales tax on a Subway sandwich the other day. A DOLLAR!!

[Mr4btTahoe]

Sounds like a DIY'ers paradise. Good to hear you are taking the time to figure out how to do it right.

I imagine your sales tax in that area is much less too. This 10.25% sales tax rate is really grating on me here. I paid $1.00 in sales tax on a Subway sandwich the other day. A DOLLAR!!

Ouch... its 7% here which it was just raised to that a couple years ago. Property tax here on my home is just over $1200 a year. Property values are quite a bit lower in our area though.

I always though it was funny when people here would complain about paying for permits and such. I mean.. even new construction is only $.08 per sq. ft. ($200 minimum). Doing remodels, plumbing, etc.. the work has to surpass $1k (material only if you do the work yourself) to even require a permit.

[Mr4btTahoe]

Called the building inspector and left him a message... also called a buddy of mine who is a local contractor who knows him fairly well. Hoping to be able to arrange a sit down with him to go over what I'll need to do.

Another thing.. Everything I've been reading says that it would be wise to get permits and apply for the interconnect prior to purchasing anything or doing anything... however the interconnect application requires drawings and equipment details.. so I have to know exactly what I'm using prior to sending in the application. That's one of the reasons I've been looking and trying to get an idea of equipment to use.

I'm curious... does panel manufacturer really matter when staying within a set price range? All of the panels I've been looking at all have the same warranty... all seem to fall within the same efficiency range... so how much does it matter?

Thanks again.

[J.P.M.]

Called the building inspector and left him a message... also called a buddy of mine who is a local contractor who knows him fairly well. Hoping to be able to arrange a sit down with him to go over what I'll need to do.

Another thing.. Everything I've been reading says that it would be wise to get permits and apply for the interconnect prior to purchasing anything or doing anything... however the interconnect application requires drawings and equipment details.. so I have to know exactly what I'm using prior to sending in the application. That's one of the reasons I've been looking and trying to get an idea of equipment to use.

I'm curious... does panel manufacturer really matter when staying within a set price range? All of the panels I've been looking at all have the same warranty... all seem to fall within the same efficiency range... so how much does it matter?

Thanks again.

I'd get plan approval as much as possible before buying stuff. It may mean a bit more back/forth between you and AHJ but fewer returns and freight. A pre sitdown with the building inspector can be a real bonus.

As for panels, beyond some basic good quality level, panels are pretty much a commodity. All quality products properly installed and maintained will produce about equal amounts of electricity per installed STC kW for about as long as you'll own them, regardless of mfg. Don't fall for the Sunpower "most efficient" hype or panels that cost more on the basis of gathering back reflected light. Both of those stories are B.S. designed to separate the solar ignorant from their assets.

[littleharbor]

The POCO should have an extensive list of approved equipment. Should be available online on their website.

[Mr4btTahoe]

The POCO should have an extensive list of approved equipment. Should be available online on their website.

This is their "check list". Their only equipment requirement is that it meets UL1741 and/or IEEE 1547 and that the installation passes code (inspection may or may not be required).

https://www.vectren.com/assets/downl...-checklist.pdf

These are their guidelines...

https://www.vectren.com/assets/downl...guidelines.pdf

I'm working through that book slowly but surely. Just found it last night which has the majority of the code requirements for the electrical side and the POCOs requirements.

[Mr4btTahoe]

Another question... Now looking at the IronRidge rack system. Price isn't absurd like I though it would be.

However, using their spacing requirements, to fit the 24 panels I'd like on the roof, the rails would over hang by roughly 3" on the front and rear of the building. The building is 40' in length. Rails would have to be roughly 40.5' to accommodate 12 panels vertically. Is overhanging the roof slightly going to cause a legal issue?

I could step down to 2 strings of 11 panels each and have plenty of space.. but that will limit my power output a bit.

[ButchDeal]

Another question... Now looking at the IronRidge rack system. Price isn't absurd like I though it would be.

However, using their spacing requirements, to fit the 24 panels I'd like on the roof, the rails would over hang by roughly 3" on the front and rear of the building. The building is 40' in length. Rails would have to be roughly 40.5' to accommodate 12 panels vertically. Is overhanging the roof slightly going to cause a legal issue?

I could step down to 2 strings of 11 panels each and have plenty of space.. but that will limit my power output a bit.

Do you have fire code setback requirements in your state?

[Mr4btTahoe]

Do you have fire code setback requirements in your state?

Not that I can find... but still digging. Also from my understanding, they don't apply to out buildings generally speaking. Is that not the case? What I'm currently reading is that detached, non-habitable structures are exempt from the "Access and Pathway" requirements (which include the setbacks). I'll ask the inspector to be sure.

[ButchDeal]

Not that I can find... but still digging. Also from my understanding, they don't apply to out buildings generally speaking. Is that not the case?

it often depends on if it is an occupied structure. "shop" could qualify, barn likely wouldn't.

you would have different wind loads extending pas the ridge line and rain/snow issues with gutters (if there is a gutter) as the eve.

[Mr4btTahoe]

it often depends on if it is an occupied structure. "shop" could qualify, barn likely wouldn't.

you would have different wind loads extending pas the ridge line and rain/snow issues with gutters (if there is a gutter) as the eve.

Other direction. The rails would overhang the gable ends of the structure, not the ridge line. The building is 40' in length. Total width required for 12 panels including spacing the the rack requirements puts me at 40' 6".

[ButchDeal]

Other direction. The rails would overhang the gable ends of the structure, not the ridge line. The building is 40' in length. Total width required for 12 panels including spacing the the rack requirements puts me at 40' 6".

then you just have the issue of added wind load and possible fire code setbacks

[Mr4btTahoe]

Hmm.. I was guesstimating the panel width at 40" but it looks like I can get panels that are around 38" wide which would make it work out nicely for spacing as long as there are no setback requirements.

Sorry for all the random questions. I appreciate the help. Hopefully I'll hear back from the inspector tonight and have a better idea of what I'll need to do.

[ButchDeal]

Hmm.. I was guesstimating the panel width at 40" but it looks like I can get panels that are around 38" wide which would make it work out nicely for spacing as long as there are no setback requirements.

Sorry for all the random questions. I appreciate the help. Hopefully I'll hear back from the inspector tonight and have a better idea of what I'll need to do.

you also have modules like the panasonic which are wider at 41.5" but shorter at 62.6" long.
and high efficiency.

You didn't specify the measurement from ridge to eve but you likely could get two rows in landscape as an option, which might allow 14 modules instead of just 12.